06 February 2009

Come to Radya Pustaka Museum then you’ll now the old Java history. The offivial name which established by KRA Sosrodiningrat IV Pepatih Dalem Sinuhun PB IX and PB X in October 1890 28th is Paheman Radya Pustaka. Paheman means institute, radya means nation/country, and pustaka means ‘culture, especially handmade.

To reach this museum is not difficult. The location is at the center of Solo city at Slamet Riyadi street, next to Sriwedari park. There are many family relic and the noble Keraton Surakarta Hadiningrat keep save inside this museum. There are weapons, stationary, office equipment, kitchen appliances, and ancient Java book.

The main room of this museum presents many types of wayang (traditional Java puppet), Starts from wayang kulit (leather puppet), gedog, topeng (masking puppet), and wayang beber. There’s also meriam Lela in small sized. This meriam was used to king enthronization king ceremony, wedding party and master quest reception.

In the middle of the room, there is Kremun. Kremin is a square box made from wood and rattan complete with the door. The nobel princess was sit inside Kremun then carried by two men or more to traveling anywhere. There’re also porcelain goblet, a present from Napoleon Bonaparte which gave to King Sri Susuhunan Paku Buwono IV (1811). Old currency from many countries such as China, VOC, India, and USA were also become part of this museum.

A museum master piece, a candik boat (giant head of the ship), called Rajamala showed in special room. This Candik or head ship was part of the front boat made in Paku Buwono IV administration. This ship often used cross Bengawan Solo river to Madura island.

Once upon a time, Paku Buwono IV made a wood ship for his first wife (garwa pramesari). She was one of regent Cakraningrat daughter in Madura. The ship was so big and had a big head and its color was red hearth.

This room feels magic, because there are sesajen (ritual offerings) such as coffee, flowers and serabi (special food from Solo). "If we not give this room sesajen, this whole museum will smell putrid like odor of fish", said the employee.

Stone statue collection is this museum almost sleazy. In fact, in 2000, the stone statue of Agastya was stolen in front of the museum. One year later, the stone statue of Nandiswara, known as Shiwa student also had been stolen. Then, these stone statue placed at the back of this museum, near the administration room.

The stone statue in this museum was predicted made in VII and VIII centuries, which is in Hindu and Budha start to develop in Indonesia. Most of the stone statues was found around Klaten, Boyolali, Sukoharjo, Karanganyar, and Solo.

In the heritage room, there are many heirloom keris from Java, Sumatera, Bali, and Madura. There are also small keris which used by many women called patrem. Some of the keris are Warangka Sunggingan Gayaman, Sugingan Ladrang, Ukiran, luk ganjil 3 (jangkung), luk 5 (pendawa), luk 7 (kidang soko), luk 9 (sempana), luk 11 (sabuk inten), luk 13 (parungsari), and keris luk 15 (bima kurda). The sword collection inside this museum is own by Sunan Amangkurat III (Kartosuro) and iron vane belongs to Gada Besi own by Keraton Surakarta.

There are scarce collections which the only one in Indonesia keep safe in this museum, such as two Avalokiteswara hand replica. Its ceramic collection also keep safe and sober neatly, such as jug, plate, glass, cup, spur, bowl, and vast.

Another activity which done by this museum regularly was sarasehan kesusastraan Jawa, every Wednesday night and Thursday night.